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So what makes Slater so critical? He’s one of the best special teams players the game has ever seen, and he has made his career out of covering kickoffs and punts. His small frame left him unfit as an actual wideout, but he found a purpose in this league as a gunner.
But his position, and his career, are possibly on the outs with the NFL’s ever-changing landscape in the kickoff game. The league announced earlier this year its plans to move the touchback up from the 20-yard line to the 25-yard line on a season-long trial.
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Slater is not a fan of this possible permanent change, and he gave a passionate plea Thursday to keep the kickoff the way it was.
The league has been discussing player safety during kickoffs for a while. Giants co-owner John Mara said in April they are “not at the point where we want to take the kickoff out of the game completely,” but “we may be moving in that direction.”
“The kicking game has meant a lot to the game of football and to a lot of players individually and it’s enabled guys to have careers. You think about Larry Izzo, you think about myself. Without the kicking game we don’t have a career. I’m very disappointed in some of the things I hear in regards to getting rid of the kickoff. I surely hope that’s not the case. I hope that’s not the direction that we’re moving in but we’ll see.”
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For reasons Slater pointed out, that would really be a shame. There’s an art to special teams play, and Slater has mastered it. For many players, special teams is the only way they can make a roster. Also, taking out such a major factor of the game would have big ramifications.
“I obviously have strong feelings about it because of what guys like myself are able to do, but you’re certainly taking away from — you think about how many times last year Brandon King ran down and made plays inside the 10, [Nate] Ebner making plays inside the 10 or inside the 20. That’s a weapon for a football team when you have players like that,” Slater said. “So, I think it’s certainly taking away from — if you get rid of the kickoff — it’s taking away from what some of those cover guys are able to bring to the game of football.”
